PROJECT SUMMARY ? CORE B The Molecular Pathology and Imaging Core (MPIC), Core B, is strategically designed to address the shared needs for tissue processing, histopathology, imaging, and expert analyses and is integral to all three projects of this P01. Established in 1995, the MPIC has been a critical part of this P01 since its inception in 2003 and has served as a model core facility for numerous other program projects and centers at the University of Pennsylvania and throughout the country. The overarching goal of the MPIC is to provide exceptional service and support to the esophageal cancer P01 investigators and their laboratories and is accomplished through two interrelated Specific Aims: (1) To provide essential, cost-effective, and high-quality services and support to the P01 investigators and their laboratories for the preparation, sectioning, staining, and interpretation of tissue sections, both animal and human, as well as cultured cells (interacting with CCiC), with particular expertise and focus on 3D organotypic/organoid cultures; and (2) To assist in planning and optimizing (a) in situ hybridization (ISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) experiments, including for immuno-oncology, and (b) microscopy and image analyses for the P01 members and their laboratories and to provide training in these techniques, as well as perform these services as requested. The MPIC is led by an experienced Director (Dr. Jonathan Katz), Technical Director (Mr. Adam Bedenbaugh), and expert Consultant in esophageal and squamous cell pathology (mouse and human) (Dr. Andres Klein-Szanto). Integrating resources and services across all project sites, the MPIC is a unique entity at the University of Pennsylvania, the Medical University of South Carolina, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and New York Institute with specific expertise in processing and analyses of all 3D organotypic cultures/organoid cultures and tissues (mouse, human) relevant to this P01. For P01 investigators and their laboratory personnel, the MPIC provides both essential, routine services and advanced technologies and approaches. The MPIC also fosters cost-effective approaches and promotes new and exciting directions for research. In addition, the MPIC offers special benefits to members of this P01 that are not available to other users, including esophageal cancer specific TMAs, significant subsidies for services, priority services, and access to Dr. Klein-Szanto, an expert clinical pathologist. Moreover, through consistent and validated approaches and standard protocols, the MPIC helps ensure rigor and reproducibility of experiments for P01 investigators and their laboratory members. Thus, the MPIC provides exceptional utility, quality, value, experience, service, and commitment to this P01's projects, cohesive coordination with other cores, and this P01 receives top priority.